Engine pan and adaptor



y 21, 1963 c. c. MOULTON ET AL 3,384,063

ENGINE PAN AND ADAPTOR Filed Feb. 10, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Cz/rro/ea C. M00470.

Jb/M/ .8. 4456.8)

' May 1968 c. c. MOULTON ET AL 3,384,063

ENGINE PAN AND ADAPTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 10, 1967 m m M CLIP/"0E0 04/01/470, BY 44568; W

United States Patent 3,384,063 ENGINE PAN AND ADAPTOR Clifford C. Moulton, 6601 50th Ave. N., Minneapolis, Minn. 55428, and John B. Melhy, 2264 University Ave., St. Paul, Minn. 55114 Filed Feb. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 615,238 3 Claims. (Cl. 123-198) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An oil pan for an internal combustion engine having an opening in the front wall thereof and a mounting plate attached to the front wall of the pan. The mounting plate having an opening therein and a pump to be driven by the engine attached to the mounting plate.

This invention relates to an oil pan for internal combustion engines and more specifically to an oil pan having an adaptor mounting means for mounting a driven mechanism, such as a pump, on the pan.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel oil pan for use with an internal combustion engine which has a mounting plate attached to the front wall thereof, a driven device, such as a pump, mounted on the mounting plate and having a shaft projecting into the oil pan for driving engagement with a drive member of the engrne.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a novel internal combustion engine oil pan having an opening in the front wall thereof, a mounting plate having an opening therein and attached to the front wall of the pan so that the openings in the pan and plate are disposed in registering relation, the mounting plate being adjustable relative to the pan to permit the center of the opening therein to be changed with respect to the oil pan, and a driven device such as a pump, attached to the mounting plate and having a shaft-mounted gear positioned interiorly of the oil pan for engagement with a drive gear of the engine.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the novel oil pan illustrated in mounting relationwith respect to an internal combustion engine and with parts thereof broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the oil pan;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the oil pan illustrating the interrelation of the mounting plate therewith; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the oil pan illustrating details of construction thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, andmore specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that an internal combustion engine of the water cooled type is there shown. The engine illustrated is especially adapted for use as the power plant in small vehicles which have front end lifts and loaders. Since such industrial vehicles utilize front end loaders or lifts, which are operated by hydraulic power, it is necessary to provide a pump for supplying the pressure necessary in such a hydraulic operation. It is desirable that the pump for such a hydraulic system be positively driven, preferably through a gear drive, from the drive of the internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine 10 is of generally conventinnal construction provided with an air filter 11, belt driven fan 12, generator 13, water pump 14 and adjustable pulley 1-5. The belt 16 trained around these units is a conventional endless V-type belt of well-known construction. Thus,

3,384,063 Patented May 21, 1968 the engine 10 does not per se constitute part of the present invention.

However, the engine 10 is provided with a novel oil pan designated generally by the reference numeral 17, which is specifically constructed to mount a driven device such as a hydraulic pump, so that the pump may be driven from the combustion engine 10. The oil pan which is of generally elongate rectangular configuration, includes a bottom wall 18, opposed side walls 19, a rear wall 20, and a front Wall 21. The oil pan 17 has an open top and the upper peripheral edge thereof is provided with a continuous outturned peripheral flange 22, which is integral with the front, rear and side walls. The outturned peripheral flange 22 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart openings 23 therein for accommodating nut and bolt assemblies to permit attachment to the bottom of the block of the engine 10. A conventional gasket 24 is interposed between the flange 22 and the engine block to provide a seal thereat.

The bottom wall 18 has an offset sump portion 25 adjacent the front thereof, which has a greater depth than the remaining portion of the oil pan. The sump portion 25 is provided with a suitable threaded drain opening 26 therein, which is provided with a threaded closure plug 27 for closing the same. Since the front of the an 10 has a driven mechanism mounted thereon, the front portion of the oil pan 10 is provided with a generally U- shaped reinforcing rib 28, which projects interiorly of thedslimp portion and side walls, as best seen in FIGS. 3 an The front wall 21 of the oil pan 17, has a generally circular opening 29 therethrough, which is offset slightly laterally from the general vertical longitudinal centerline plane of the oil pan 10. A generally flat adaptor or mounting plate 30 is attached to the front wall 21 of the oil pan by suitable bolts 31, which extend through openings in the mounting plate and through suitable threaded openings in the front wall 21. The mounting plate 30 is of substantially flat configuration and has a substantially stragiht upper edge 32, straight lower edge 33, an arcaute or curved side edge 34.

It will also be seen that the mounting plate 30 has a circular opening 35 through the center thereof. An annular flange 36 is integrally formed with the mounting plate 30 and projects rearwardly from the rear face thereof. It will be noted, that the annular flange 36 circumscribes the opening 35. The exterior surface of the annular flange 36 is disposed in slightly eccentric relation with respect to the interior surface thereof, so that when the mounting plate is detached from the front wall of the the pan and inverted to reverse the position of the upper and lower edges, the center of the opening 35 will be shifted slightly vertically.

The mounting plate 30 provides a suitable attachment means for mounting a driven device, such as the rotary hydraulic pump 37. The rotary hydraulic pump 37 is provided with an attachment plate 38, which is of generally oval configuration and is suitably apertured to accommodate bolts 39 therethrough which threadingly engage tapped or threaded registering openings in the mounting plate 30. It is pointed out that a suitable gasket 01 sealing element is interposed between the rear face of the attachment plate 38 and the front face of the mounting plate 30 to form a suitable seal thereat. The attachment plate 38 has an annular flange 39 integrally formed therewith and projecting axially therefrom as best seen it FIGS. 1 and 3. The annular flange 39 has an external diameter which is slightly less than the internal diameter of the opening 35 and interior surface of the flange 36 This angular flange 39 is positioned in snug fitting relatior with respect to the opening 35 in the mounting plate 30 The rotor of the hydraulic pump 37 is driven by a drive shaft 40 which projects exteriorly of the pump housing and projects interiorly of the oil pan 7. The rear end portion of the shaft 40 has driven gear 41 secured :hereto for rotation therewith. The gear 41 is disposed in meshing relation with respect to a timing gear 42 of the internal combustion engine so that during operation of the internal combustion engine, the rotary hydraulic pump 37 will be operated. The pump 37 is provided with a pair of conduits 43, one of which is connected to a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure, such as a reservoir, and the other being connected to the cylinder or :ylinders of suitable hydraulic piston and cylinder units.

As pointed out above, the novel oil pan is for use with a conventional water cooled internal combustion engine and has been arranged and constructed to accommodate a mounting plate for mounting a driven mechanism or device, such as a rotary hydraulic pump. This particu- .ar engine and novel oil pan has been especially adaptable for use with the small front end loaders or fork lifts, since not only is the motive power for the vehicle provided by the internal combustion engine, but the engine also drives the hydraulic pump for operating the front end loader or fork lift. The hydraulic pump is of conven- :ional construction and may be any of the commercially available rotary hydraulic pumps. It will be seen that When the pump is mounted on the mounting plate 30 when the entire assembly is attached to the oil pan, the gear 41 will be disposed in meshing relation with re- ;pect to gear 42. However, in the event that accurate pre- :ision mesh of the gear 41 with gear 42 is not obtained, he mounting plate with the pump attached may be dis- :onnected from the oil pan and turned 180 to reverse he position of the upper and lower edges of the adaptor plate. Because of the eccentric but symmetrical disposiion of the exterior surface of the annular flange 36 with respect to the opening 35, the center of the opening Will be shifted vertically a slight amount when the adaptor late is inverted and re-attached. In the embodiment rhown, the adjustment for the particular engine is apiroximately 0.005 of an inch and this tolerance is Found to be satisfactory for the adjustment necessary to arovide an accurate mesh of the gears in most situations. It is pointed out that the gears 41 and 42 are of approxinately the same size and that the gear 41 secured to the :haft 40 is positioned laterally of and at a slightly lower :levation than the gear 42. The gear drive provides a )OSitiVB rugged drive from the engine and it will be ;een that the pump 37 is conveniently mounted at the Front of the oil pan but in clearing relation with re- :pect to the fan of the engine. The novel construction )f the oil pan and mounting plate not only permits nounting of the pump on the engine for direct drive :herefrom, but in an extremely convenient location with :learance from the engine fan.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that ye have provided a novel oil pan and mounting plate for accommodating a rotary hydraulic pump for direct :lrive from the engine and without requiring any substantial alteration in the engine construction. The unique construction of the mounting plate and its cooperative relation with respect to the oil pan also permits slight adjustment so that accurate effective meshing relation of the drive and driven gears may be effective.

Thus, it will be seen that We have provided a novel internal combustion engine oil pan and mounting plate of simple and inexpensive construction, for accommodating a driven mechanism, such as a rotary hydraulic pump, and which functions in a more efiicient manner than any heretofore known comparable device.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of our invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A generally rectangular shaped oil pan for use with an internal combustion engine, said pan having an open top, a bottom wall, opposed side walls, a rear wall and a front wall,

an opening in said front wall,

a substantially flat mounting plate positioned against the exterior of said front wall,

means securing said plate to said front wall,

said mounting plate having a circular opening therein,

an annular flange integrally formed with said plate and projecting axially rearwardly therefrom and circumscribing said opening in the mounting plate, the exterior surface of said flange engaging in snug fitting relation the inner circumferential surface defined by the opening in the front Wall,

a driven mechanism mounted on said mounting plate and having a shaft projecting through the open ng therein into the interior of the pan, a gear fixed to said shaft for meshing engagement with a drive gear of the engine.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said mounting plate has an upper edge portion and a lower edge portion,

the inner and outer surfaces of the flange being slightly eccentric with respect to each other so that when said mounting plate is removed from the pan, inverted, and re-attached to the front wall of the pan, so that the upper and lower edge portions thereof have their original positions reversed, the center of the opening of the mounting plate will have been shifted vertically from its former position.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said driven mechanism comprises a rotary hydraulic pump.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,538,881 5/1925 Barton 10354 FOREIGN PATENTS 454,455 10/1936 Great Britain.

WENDELL E. BURNS, Primary Examiner. 

